Keyhole-illuminating device



e. E. BATE S. KEYHOLE ILLUMINATING DEVICE.

Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24,1917- ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. BATES, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

KEYHOLE-ILLUMINATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d A 10 1920' Application filed. January 24, 1917. Serial No. 144,288.

To all whom it may concern: 7 l

Be it known that I, Gnonen E. Barns, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State at New York, have invented a certain new anduseful Keyhole-Illuminating Device, of which the following is a specification. a l

This invention has for its object the production of a door knob having an electric illuminating device associated therewith, and especially a particularly simple and ethcient means by whichthe battery or cell is readilyinserted and removed and the connections electrically broken and made both when the battery is being changed and when the light is being turned off and on. The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to'the accompanying drawings in which like characters parts in all the views.

.Figure 1 is a front elevation of a door knob, and an escutcheon plate, the outer end wall of the knob being removed exposing the interior of the knob.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of parts seen 1r.- Fig. 1, the door knob being shown in vertical section. V

Fig, 3 is an end elevation of the battery or cell holder with a cell therein.

This invention comprises generally a 1101' low door knob provided with an incandescent electric lamp having a pair of terminals associated therewith and exposed on the connected to, the lamp, one terminal of one pair being movable relatively to one of the terminals of the other pair for making and 7 socket 9 or designate corresponding breaking the circuit through the lamp; By lamp terminals is meant any terminals as soclated with the lamp. Although in this form of my invention the lamp terminals are what are technically known as lamp terminals.

1 designates the hollow door knob having a hub 2 mounted on the shank 3 carried by the usual escutcheon plate 4, the knob in illllS embodiment of my invention being shown as having its outer end wall 5 removable, andconnected to the bodvof the door knob by a screw thread. I

6 and 7 designate respectively the outer and central terminals associated with the lamp 8 and exposed on the interior of the door knob 1, these terminals being here shown as the lamp terminals -themselves although they may be terminals of the lamp other terminals. The socket 9 is here shown as cut away to exposethe lamp terminals.

10 is a holder for the battery or cell 11, the holder being arranged so that the battery or cell is arranged with its lengthwise axis crosswise of the axis of the door knob, said holder having detachable mechanical engagement with; the door knob whereby it can be readily inserted and removed when the wall 5 ofthe knob is removed, so that battery also has an additional movement to,

carry the battery terminals 13, 14.- into and out of position to make and breaktheelectrical connection between the battery and the lamp 8.

As here shown, the battery holder is a sheet metal shell having a stud 15 arranged in a suitable socket 16 in the knob, this socket being usually arranged coaxially with the axis of the knob. Said shell is also provided with a handle or finger piece 17 eccentric to the stud which handle extends through a slot 18 in the rear side of the door knob where it can be engaged in order to rock the battery holder 10 and-the battery 11 to closethe circuit. between the battery and the lamp 8. The movement of the holder by the handle 17 is against the action of a suitable returning spring 19 here shown as a tongue struck from the body of the sheet metal holder 10 and bent outwardly into position to engage the inner circumfei ential wall of the knob as shown in r ig. 1. This shell is also provided with lugs 20 at its lower end for limiting the movement of the battery into the holder, and is open at its upper end to permit the insertionand removal of the battery.

The shell is also provided with means as a spring tongue 21 struck therefrom for holding the'battery therein, and also with'an additional means as a spring tongue '22 bent to engage the end wall 5 andthus hold the shell with its stud 15' in the socket of the knob, The shell is preferably shaped to hold ordinary commercial batteries or cells now usedin various forms of flash lights.

Preferably, the holder is arranged to be moved to close the circuit in a direction opposite to that in which the knob isturned to 'unlatch the door.

In operation, when the knob is grasped by the hand, one linger thereof can be pressed 7 against the handle 17 to rock the holder 10 and battery 11 to carry the terminal 13 into engagement with the outer terminal 6 of the lamp.

The battery terminal 1 is long enough to engage the central terminal of the lamp at pulled outwardly, this movement disengaging the battery terminal 14. from the'central lamp terminal and also moving the stud 15 out of the socket of the door knob. The battery is then removed by applying pressure to the lower end thereof, and the new battery inserted and the shell replaced; the replacing movement bringing the terminals 13 and 14 into operative relation to the lamp terminals, so that no wiring is necessary.

hat I claim. is: a 1. The combinationof a hollow door knob having a pair of electrical contact terminals located near each other and atone side of the shank of the knob. said terminals being exposed 'on the interior of the knob, a

battery having terminals at one end, and means on the interior of the knob for holding the battery crosswise of the axis of the ,knob with the terminals at one end thereof in position to eo actlwithrthe terminals of the knob, the battery being removable and replaceable through the open front side of the door knob when the front wall is re moved, substantially as and for the purpose described. V 1

'2. The combination of a door knob'provided with a lamp arranged eccentric to the axis'of the door knob, a battery mounted on the interior of the knob, and movable about an axis to make and break the connection between it and the lamp, and means exposed on the outside of the door knob for rocking the battery, substantially as and for the purpose described, V

3. The combinationof a hollow, door knob provided with a lamp having terminals associated therewith and exposed on the interior of the knob, a battery in the doorknob and being movable about'the axis of the knob to carry its terminals into and out of operative contact withtheformer terminals,

and means on the outside of the knohfor rocking the battery, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. i

I 4. The combination of a hollow door knob provided with a lamp having terminals associated therewith and exposed within the knob, a battery holder mounted within the door knob, and having means for detachable engagement therewith whereby the holder 1s Supported by the knob, a battery carried by the holder and having terminals mnovable into and out of electrical contact with the former terminalsfduring the insertion and removal of the battery holder,

and means for effecting a relative movement of the battery holder, and the terminals associated with the lamp for making and breaking the circuit" through the battery and lamp, said means being exposed on the outside of the door knob, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. V

5. The combination of a hollow door knob provided with a lamp having t'e'rminalsexposed within the knob, a battery holder mounted within the door knob. and having means for detachable mechanical engagement therewith whereby the holder is supported by the knob. and a battery carriediby the holder and having terminalsmovable into and out of contactwith the'former terminals during the insertion and removal of the battery holder, the holder also having an add iti onal movement for making. and breaking the circuit between the battery and the lamp terminals, substantially as and for the purpose described.-

with the door knob whereby the holder is supported, the terminals of the battery beso arranged thatthey move into and out of operative relation to the lamp terminals holder, subsantially as and for the purpose during the insertion, and removal of the specified. holder, the holder being also movable about In testimony whereof I have hereunto 10 an axis for carrying the terminals of the signed my name at Syracuse, in the county 7 5 battery into and out of operative contact of Onondaga and State of New York, this with the lamp terminals, and means mounted 19th day of January, 1917. on the outside of the knob for rocking the GEORGE E. BATES. 

